Luís Montenegro expressed solidarity with the population affected by the fires that have been occurring across the country for over a week and also extended gratitude to all the security forces, civil protection and firefighters who have been battling the blazes during the heatwave impacting the nation.
“(…) Given the weather forecast for the coming days, the government has decided today to extend the alert status for another 48 hours, which was supposed to end tomorrow (Wednesday) at 23:59, and therefore, it will be extended until 23:59 on Friday, the 15th”, said the Prime Minister, in Faro, on the sidelines of a housing fires inauguration for relocation.
Luís Montenegro reasoned that with this decision, authorities can strengthen operational resources and exert greater supervision and vigilance, as well as impose access restrictions to forest areas or bans on field work or machinery use.
The executive leader called for understanding and cooperation from the public to minimize ignitions and prevent new fires from breaking out, emphasizing that the alert status has allowed a “reduction of risks,” amidst a meteorological situation that will still present “severity” until at least Friday.
“Let us hope that, once this period is over, we can ease these restrictions and return to our daily lives and no longer witness the images that, unfortunately, have marked the past days”, he stated, referring to the fires that have plagued the country during this dry and hot period.
The Prime Minister lamented the “dramas” experienced by many citizens who have been affected by episodes of “extreme violence in terms of forest fires,” despite the government having “tried with multiple policies and initiatives to reduce their impact.”
Luís Montenegro expressed his solidarity to all those who “have directly suffered the effects of the flames” and his “support” to “overcome and surpass” the challenges they face.
The executive chief also highlighted the “immense appreciation” that the government has for the work done by firefighters, civil protection officers, security forces and the Armed Forces in combating the fires, as well as the efforts carried out by municipal mayors, parish councils, volunteers, and the associative movement.
“It has been a tremendous, collective effort that has, in some way, eased the impacts of what is often an absolutely unequal fight”, he acknowledged, thanking everyone involved in the fight against the fires.
